Election

State Republicans may win control of Senate

November 3, 2010

NEW YORK (AP) - A wild night of seesawing race totals and margins as close as a single vote Tuesday have left majority control of New York's state Senate uncertain, but with Republicans having a good chance of seizing control of the chamber.

Democrats and Republicans traded wins and losses into Wednesday, and majority control appeared to depend upon two races, one in which incumbent Democrat Sen. Craig Johnson of Long Island was trailing and another in which incumbent Democrat Sen. Antoine Thompson of Erie County had a narrow lead.

That will likely leave majority control of the chamber to recounts and absentee ballots in a process that could take weeks.

"It appears we have won at least 32 seats, possibly 33," said Scott Reif of the Republican Senate campaign committee.

Democrats weren't claiming victory.

"After three of our challengers claimed significant victories, we remain optimistic, but there are still thousands of votes to be counted, and every vote counts," said Austin Shafran, spokesman for Democratic Senate campaign committee.

The result also could be a tie among the highly partisan conferences in the 62-seat Senate. Democrats now have a 32-30 majority, achieved just two years ago.

A tie would leave no clear majority, even though the Democratic Lt. Gov.-elect Robert Duffy could break at least some ties, although whether that would include anything but procedural matters remains unclear.

The chaos at the end of Election Day was fitting for the chamber that has been in high political mode since Democrats seized the majority after a half-century of Republican rule.